May 14, Easter 6a (John 14:15-21)

I know a couple that follows a different pattern from many others. When one says, “I love you,” the other does not say, “I love you too.” Instead, the response is “Why?” or in some instances, “What are your reasons?” The practice might seem strange to some of us, but this couple seems to enjoy it. The ritual breaks them out of standard formulas, forces them to think about what they are saying while they are saying it, and challenges them to make the “why” of their love more concrete. The assurance that comes with being loved, with knowing that there are reasons for it—demonstrations of it—has the power to breathe new life into a person. It can sustain and uplift in times of uncertainty.

Jesus knows how we are wired, that we need more than a simple “I love you too” from him. When he tells us he loves us, we ask for concreteness. We want reasons. Demonstrations. With Philip, we say, “If you show us the Father, we will be satisfied” (John 14:8). We do not ask for more because we are faithless; we ask because we are human. More helps us feel secure and stable in moments of anxiety and fear.

If he wanted to, Jesus could take exception to our insistence on more. He has already given us so much. He would have a strong case. Yet, as our pastor, Jesus knows that this is not what we need most. A different approach is needed. In the first half of John 14, Jesus calls us to have faith, to believe in God and to believe in him. We struggle with trust, but we need it more than we realize. Then, in the second half of John 14, Jesus tells us how much we are loved.